Children of the Night
by darkestpowers4ever
Summary: Zoey's past and how she came to be Goddess of the Elements and Life. Happens long before the events of HON and Butterfly Effect. Back story for Butterfly Effect. Rating may change. R&R PLEASE!
1. Prologue: Daughter of Night

**Disclaimer: I don't own DP or HON**

**Hey guys sooo this is a new series branching off from Butterfly Effect. This story takes place long before Butterfly Effect and even long before the House of Night series. You know in Chapter 18 in Butterfly Effect where Zoey spoke of her past with Stark, Stevie Rae, Damien, Shaunee and Erin? Yeah here's their back story! So here ya go! Enjoy! **

Prologue: Daughter of Night

Nyx pushed and pushed.

_Gosh this one's stubborn, _she thought as she pulled back to breath heavily. This one just didn't seem to want to part with her.

"Come on you can do it," Erebus whispered in her ear and squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Remember you are the Goddess of the Night, you can do this."

Her Consort gave her strength and she drew that from him. So with her Consort gingerly reassuring her she started pushing once again. Nyx clutched Erebus's hand and squeezed it until she was sure it was broken.

"Come on, come on mother, you're almost there!" Nemesis was aiding her and trying to encourage her. "I can see its head! Just give me one last big push!"

And that's what Nyx did; she took the last of her strength and put it into pushing one last time. Sudden relief filled her when her child was pulled from her womb but not far behind it was emptiness and fear, her baby wasn't crying.

Nyx held her breath as tears started streaming down her face, how could this have happened? She was a Goddess; her child should have been very healthy and therefore a divine being too.

The shrill wail broke her from her dark thoughts of a still born child. Her baby.

The crying child was squirming in her sister's arms, wanting her mother's embrace instead. So Nemesis placed the new born baby into her mother's arms and the howling stopped.

Nyx's child sniffled then started giggling like there was no tomorrow, her family joined with her in laughter. The baby girl was only moments old but she already had a vast understanding of her new world.

"A daughter!" Erebus's proud and joyous laughter broke Nyx's gaze from her daughter as her consort hugged his elegant wife and newest daughter together. "Oh Nyx, she's beautiful just like you!"

Erebus was bursting with delight and excitement that could belong to a child. Nyx could feel it, even without their connection as Goddess and Consort the pure joy was rolling off of him in waves. He was exuberant as was she.

He bent to kiss his baby girl's forehead then dove to steal a loving kiss from Nyx. The Goddess was starting to feel sore so she positioned the baby in her husband's arms and waved for her children to help her up. Erebus situated his daughter in his arms so she was more comfortable while his other daughters helped their mother tidy up.

Some of the attendants cleaned up the mess in her chambers and her other daughters; Nemesis, Eris, Hypnos, Thanatos, and Hemera, assisted Nyx in cleansing herself. Giving birth to a daughter that was as stubborn as her father meant that Nyx got a bit messy and while her other daughters were helping bathe their mother Nyx was growing weary.

Hemera aided her exhausted mother to her enormous bed where Erebus was gently bouncing his giggling new daughter while he was chuckling himself. Once Nyx was on her bed she bid Hemera ado, wishing to be alone with her Consort and new daughter.

"She's different from our other children Nyx," Erebus was poking his daughter's stomach making her laugh. Nyx grinned, seeing him like that with her daughter filled her with happiness.

But she couldn't help but agree with him. Her daughter had ebony hair like Nyx but instead of onyx eyes like her or golden orbs like the girl's father she had a round hazel gaze that was full of wonder and amazement. But her hazel eyes were flecked with gold and black so her parents weren't completely lost within her eyes. She had tanned skin like her father and his high cheek bones but she had Nyx's heart shaped face.

But the thing Erebus was talking about and her most distinguishing feature were the markings that were all over her body. The marks started with the crescent settled between her dark eyebrows then spread along her face; it looked like a woman stretching up to cup the crescent. The rest of the marks looked like lace and runes that extended down her back, along her limbs, across her chest, waist, and palms until they finally stopped at her feet. They were all the colour of amethyst.

"Indeed it seems so," Nyx bent her head so she could lay it on her husband's shoulder. "What shall we name her?"

"Mm that is entirely up to you my Goddess," Erebus leaned down to kiss her head, Nyx sighed in content. "What name do you think will fit best?"

"She's so full of life and Light," Nyx cogitated then thought of the ideal name for her daughter. "She's the personification of life!"

"It seems to be so," Erebus smirked at his wife's enthusiasm. "Have you thought of a name?"

"Of course I have!" she smacked is arm lightly then swooped her daughter up in her arms, making the girl squeal in glee.

Nyx and her daughter leaned their foreheads against each other and Erebus pulled them both into his arms then rested his chin on Nyx's shoulder.

"Zoey."

"That's lovely name and it fits her perfectly," Erebus pressed his lips to the curve between Nyx's shoulder and neck then whispered, his lips brushing against the sensitive place. "Come my angel, you've had a lengthy day and must be fatigued from your equally extensive labour."

"Yes but there's so much to learn about her," Nyx did want to sleep but she was afraid that if she snoozed that her wonderful and mysterious daughter would vanish from her arms and this world too.

"There will be time for such things to ponder over tomorrow," the God laid down and gestured for her to join him on the soft bed. "Do not worry Nyx, Zoey is real and she will be there tomorrow and for millennia's after that. She'll be there so much you'll be sick of her in no time."

Nyx's sharp gaze penetrated him and he stammered on, not wanting to evoke his wife's wrath. "I-I'm kidding Nyx!"

"Mm," she mused but lay beside her Consort anyways gently setting her daughter in between them so they both could wrap their arms around Zoey.

The trio fell asleep together as a family forevermore.

**A/N:**

**Soooo tell me what ya think. By the way this is just a bit of a teaser since my exams start today but I'll be done them soon so then I'll update Butterfly Effect and this one too! **

**R&R PRETTY PLEASE!**

**Thanks a bunch Shawna~~~  
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	2. Chapter 1: Son of Darkness and Shadows

**Disclaimer: I don't own HON or DP**

Chapter One: Son of Darkness and Shadows

_**14 years later (actually 700 years later)**_

Zoey's POV:

A rustled from my far left had me reeling toward the small clearing where the small herd of deer were drinking from the watering hole. I positioned my bow and unsheathed an arrow lining it up with the alpha buck, ready to let the arrow go and strike my prey.

In the past seven hundred – my mother's children age differently so I only look 14 – years since I was born; I've grown very much and matured too but I still feel inferior to my divine parents and siblings. I would often escape one of Nemesis or Thanatos's boring lectures (not all were boring but still) and hurried to my chambers to change into hunting gear then run out to the forest and hunt.

I looked a fair bit like my father but held some of my mother's features as well. From my mother I had her midnight ebony hair, high cheekbones and overall curvy figure. My tanned skin, facial structure, and attitude I got from my father. My eyes were the only thing that I didn't get from them, my mother having onyx round orbs and my father having a golden gaze; I had a mixture of brown and green that created hazel with black and gold flecks in them. Well at least I looked a lot like them unlike some of my siblings.

Nemesis had burgundy tresses which I don't know where she got from but had Father's aureate eyes and Mother's pale complexion. Thanatos and Hypnos were the exact image of Mother just had Father's facial structure and height. Charon and Styx looked a lot like Father but Styx had Mother's dark hair and Charon brown hair while having Mother's dark eyes. Eris had mahogany hair like Nemesis but had onyx eyes and a tanned skin tone from Father.

My family had an extreme amount of power but they said that I was the most extraordinary out of all of them. I sneered at Nemesis when she'd said that but I could see the truthfulness in her eyes when she said that. I was different from my family but, in my eyes, I was a mutiny compared to them. They who were all perfect and proper and then me whose skin was marred by these horrid marks!

New servants would often ogle at me when introduced to my family and a few weeks ago I got a comment by one of the new servant boys and later that night I tried scrubbing the tattoos off. My mother and father weren't too pleased about that and the boy was fired.

Not even a full minute has passed since I positioned myself to fire at my prey. I shook my head shooing all thoughts that weren't about hunting out and focused entirely on the buck I was about to shoot.

My fingers pulled the arrow back and I felt the elastic coil against the arrow not wanting anymore pressure put on it. My limbs locked into place as I prepared to let the arrow go and shoot the buck.

Just as I was about to let go of the arrow when my mother's voice sliced through the trees, calling my name. "Zoey!"

Damn it scared the herd of deer and made me let go of the arrow the wrong way, it shot to the ground and nearly missed a doe but scaring her half to death anyways as she charged off into the forest. That's just great oh well better make the best of the situation and go commando style. Using teeth and hands like the monster I am.

I drop down from my hiding spot in the trees, the wind whooshing past me at the speed I was going at, and landed on the balls of my feet so I could charges at the remnants of the group. My fangs were ready to strike and my fingers curled into claw and I crouched to get better leverage. I tried to latch onto a buck but he got past, I would've used my amazing powers for the elements but decided against it since my mother was patiently waiting for me.

There goes yet another kill for me! Gosh every time I try to hunt it gets interrupted by what some would think is more important but to me was as insignificant as a rock. I needed the blood from the animals to live so why couldn't people get that! Yes the blood, it's yet another disgusting habit I have but my parents found out from the time I was born that I needed blood and food to survive.

I swung from branch to branch through the trees making my way back to my mother, flying through the trees it much more fun and efficient than prodding on the ground. At least that's what I believe.

I rocked one last time and thudded against the earth lightly in a crouch in front of my mother. I held there for a second my fist over my heart in a very respectful bow to her.

"Zoey you know there is no need for such a bow to me who is your mother," she caressed my cheek and made me look at her. "Did I disrupt your hunting because I am sorry if I did."

When I shook my head saying that she didn't she smiled, she knew she had but I wasn't going to verbally say it and that's what she liked about me. I stood up her caressing my cheek was acknowledgement enough that I could face my mother.

"But I have a surprise for you," her black depths glittered with mischief and thrill now that was different, usually when people disturbed my hunting it was for something like a lecture or that I was needed back at the palace. Nothing for me but Mother was something else of course and she wanted to make me as happy as I could be.

"What is it?" I asked when she didn't move then I saw her smirk, she'd wanted me to ask and beg for my surprise so I played the part. "Mother, please! I need to see my surprise!"

I even got down on my knees as if to beg her, that's when her eyes widened and we giggled at my poor acting.

"Ah even though you don't feel at home right now you still push back your feelings to deal with others problems. How selfless you are my darling daughter," she kissed the crescent between my brows and gestured to the bushes not far away from where we were standing. A rustle had me on my feet in an instant and aiming my bow at where the noise came from and in front of my mother protecting her. "No, no! It's okay it's your surprise! Don't shoot him!"

Him? I lowered the arrow but kept it high enough that if something happened, I was ready. My mother gestured for the bushes again but when nothing came from them she sighed and walked over to them.

"Zoey you scared him badly!" she helped somebody up as I rolled my eyes.

"Oops my bad for thinking that something in the bushes was going to attack us and try to kill us," I said sarcastically when she came back but when my eyes went back to her they trailed behind her to a boy clutching my mother's arm. He was giving me a wide eyed look but I couldn't blame him if somebody pointed an arrow at me I would've done the same thing.

But there was something about him… he was very handsome for one and looked about the same age as me. He was a bit taller than me and was pale like Mother but had some colour to his complexion. The way he clutched Mother was like the way I hugged her but why was he doing that?

"Zoey I'd like you to meet your new brother," my mother pushed him in front of her and mouthed that I should be nice. So he was my brother, well at least he looked a lot like Father. I gasped; he had a mark like me!

His mark was the colour of a deep bronze and looked like arrows making their way down his face, along his bare chest (oh damn his chest fine!) and most likely across his back too and finally stopped at his waist.

He had a lanky build right now but I knew he would become muscular with growth. He had Mother's pale skin tone but had some colour in it unlike her who white pale. He had Father's facial structure, eyes, and hair. His hair was dark brown and long enough that he could braid it into a somewhat long braid but his wasn't as long as my waist length braid. His golden eyes were exactly like Fathers but there was something more to his, the intense look he was giving me made me feel like I was standing in front him completely naked. My stomach was doing flips and flops and my head was reeling with his smouldering eyes. New feelings were surfacing and I knew something was going to happen between us.

"Play nice you two and Zoey try not to bite his head off," and with Mother's half hearted warning and another one of her mischievous smiles she was gone.

I thrusted my hand out for him to shake and introduced myself. "I'm Zoey."

"I kind of figured you were," he grinned cockily and grasped my hand firmly and gave it one good shake before dropping it. "My name is Stark apparently."

I nodded still feeling the electricity coursing through the hand that he shook. "So do you know how old you are?"

He nodded slowly as if he had to think about it for a little bit. "I think I'm thirteen years old but I was kept in a cave and cared for by animals but my mother came and visited me often."

Why would Mother keep Stark in a cave? Usually when ever a child was born – which was every few hundred years or so – my family celebrated with a great party that they held. For her and Father to hide him away meant that they were scared about something.

I was deep in thought when he shook my shoulder making me fumble my bow and arrow. "Hello? Anyone home?"

"Don't do that again. You were lucky this time but usually when someone does that they lose an eyes or something," I warned him and his eyes widened again, oh gosh those eyes I felt like falling into their golden abyss!

"Um then what am I supposed to do when you go off daydreaming?" he asked and smirked when I shook my head, trying to shake off these new feelings that were abruptly ever so present in my mind.

"Nothing, never mind. Well since Mother brought you to me she must want me to do something with you," I thought for a moment then came up with the perfect idea. I snapped my fingers and took his hand. "I'm gonna teach you how to hunt and fend for yourself but right now you need to get proper hunting gear."

He tripped trying to keep up with my fast pace. "Okay so where are we going?"

"Back to the castle. I don't think Mother has introduced you to your siblings and Father. By the way we're brother and sister you know that right?" I asked him momentarily stopping to look at him, when he nodded, I sighed in relief. Obviously Mother had taught him the basics and such so he wasn't completely hopeless.

"I think I've met my father but I can't be sure since I haven't really ever seen him, its mostly Mother that sees me," he pondered and all I could think was _is this boy stupid?_

"Then how do you know you've met your father?" I gave him my sharpest look, making him tell me the truth.

"Because I've heard a male voice before but that was back when I was five or so. I haven't heard the man's voice since then and I guess I can only assume it was my father but I don't really know, I never saw his face," his look of sorrow melted the suspicion in my heart and I touched his cheek with the back of my hand.

"Hey it'll be alright. Right now we're going to meet your biological father," I told him and he leaned into my hand closing his eyes. Hopefully I was telling him the truth, he looked immensely like Father but I couldn't be sure, Mother could've had an affair and he might have a completely different father. That would make Father angry but eventually it would pass over him, still I sincerely wish that Stark is my full brother.

We arrived at the palace which was buzzing with a familiar energy as usual. I walked through the large open doors, they were always open even when we slumbered, and there was no need for them to close since nobody dared to fight my family. We walked in and I had to keep hold of Stark's hand so he would follow me since he was too busy gawking at the marvellous place.

"Who's that boy with Princess Zoey?" I heard one of the servant girls whisper to another. "He's kind of cute don't you think?" the other girl nodded but I could see the dislike in their eyes when they saw my hand in his.

Then there were servant boys who were grumbling at the sight of Stark and me. "Who's that guy with the Princess? He has similar tattoos to her but on him it looks really _nauseating_."

I stopped abruptly and Stark who wasn't paying any attention to what was right in front of him knocked into me. "Zoey, what's wrong?" his hands slipped up to my shoulders.

I whirled out of Stark's grip and at the little servant boys who now shrunk away knowing they'd been caught gossiping. I marched right up to them and stood on my tip toes to make me look taller, scarier. "You do not speak like such to a child of Nyx."

I rolled back on my heels and spun again, not caring if my long hair smacked them, and pulled Stark along, stomping the rest of the way to my chambers. Once we were finally inside them I slammed the door on any of those who were rushing after us, apologizing for their disrespect, as if I would care to hear them.

"I'm sorry about them," I waved to the door and looked down ashamed of myself too. "And about me. But they should know better than that, I should too."

"Thank you," his aureate orbs were smouldering, I had to look away before I fell to my knees before him. "I have so much to learn and from what I've picked up, I have to learn quickly if I want to survive with a sister like you."

I bumped him with my hip, laughing, and found hunting gear for him and a shirt so the other girls wouldn't gape at him so much. He changed his clothes and we departed my room, me hissing at any lingering servants. We hurried to the throne room where my siblings and parents were at the moment.

When we entered my mother wasn't at her throne but my father was and I don't think he looks too happy. Oh brother this is going to turn out bad I just know it.

"Zoey, who is the boy with you?" that sharp voice didn't come from my father thankfully, instead it came from Charon who was rarely here but popped in sometimes on special occasions.

"The other servants call you by Princess but why doesn't he?" Stark leaned down to whisper in my ear.

"He's not a servant. That's Charon, he's my older brother, yours too, he's a ferryman for Styx," I whispered back before Charon maimed Stark at calling him a servant boy. "You'll learn all about your siblings later for now we have to deal with Father."

I jerked my chin toward the throne where Father sat and answered Charon's question. "His name is Stark, he's our new brother."

"Brother?" a smooth voice trailed behind us, I turned to see Eris and Styx in the doorway it had been Eris who asked that. "But Zoey, he looks the same age as you."

Styx and Eris were barely around too; all had duties to tend to elsewhere in Mother's realm but Eris would visit often after creating mischief in the other realms. It was only Nemesis, Thanatos, Hypnos, and I who stayed here most of the time. I had other siblings but it was those six – well seven now with Stark around – siblings that I was closet to. The only other siblings I've ever seen were Eros and Hemera, I've seen Hemera twice – once at my birth and then when we celebrated my 10th birthday – I've seen Eros once at my 10th birthday.

"Because he is," the air behind Father shimmered until Mother's figure materialized. "I've been keeping him in a cave in the Grove because your father and I were scared. Usually a child of ours is born every few hundreds of years but Stark was born only fifty years after Zoey was."

"Zoey only gains a single human year every 50 years so she would have only looked a year old when Stark was born. Eris, you were the last to be born before Zoey, and you age the same way as she does, you looked to be about 19 when Zoey was born which would have equalled to nine hundred and fifty years before Zoey was conceived," my father said from his throne with my mother rubbing his shoulders. "My newest son was born only fifty years after Zoey which scared Nyx and I so until we were sure that nothing terrible was going to happen we raised Stark separately from the rest of you. For Stark's safety as well as the inhabitants of our realm."

"But is Stark your son, Father?" I asked with a hard tone but when Styx started to banter me about being disrespectful I cut her off. "I'm just wondering because Stark only ever knows about Mother raising him but he said when he was around the age of five he heard a male voice and hasn't heard it since then."

"Zoey, it's alright, this man is my father. He and I shared the same eyes and hair colour," Stark squeezed my shoulders; his body was so close that I can't think straight with him in such an intimate proximity, I shifted away a little. "Why didn't you visit me after though?"

"Because Nyx and I agreed that if we were both gone then it would seem suspicious," Father stood and walked over to us. "I am very sorry Stark for not seeing you and for keeping you away in that cave. Please try to understand our plan; we were scared that since you were conceived only fifty years after Zoey that it was a premonition that something bad was going to happen to you and your siblings."

I felt like a third wheel so I slipped out from Stark's hands and went to stand beside mother on the dais. "I understand Father."

Father never wore a shirt since it was kind of hard to get a shirt on with huge gilded wings sprouting from your back and once Stark said that I saw all the muscles in his back relax. He was relieved that Stark understood, my brother might not have forgiven them just yet but in time he would.

Awkward silence followed so I decided it was best that I took Stark hunting now. "Come on Stark, how about I teach you how to hunt."

He nodded absently but didn't move from the spot so I skipped over to him and pulled him along to the gardens in the backyard.

"Hey are you alright?" I asked once we were out of earshot of our family. He nodded again and didn't say anything.

I gave up talking to him so I just kept pulling him into the forest until I sniffed out a lynx and not far behind him was a mountain lion. I motioned for Stark to follow me up into the trees; we silently made our way to where the mountain lion was currently trying to hunt the lynx. I mouthed to Stark to be as quiet as possible and for him to take the lynx, also for him to watch and learn. We would use arrows to hit our prey first then use our daggers to kill the prey for good.

I readied myself and my weapon for the kill, Stark was beside me watching about how I positioned myself and he mimicked what I was doing. I nodded once he was going to shoot first because in case he missed my fast reflexes would kill the mountain lion and we could feed off of it.

He shot, I didn't waste time seeing if he had made the kill or not, I let go of the arrow between my fingers and it implanted itself in the mountain lions flank. I flashed over to it before it could run, dagger in my hand and stabbing it in the heart, putting it out of its misery. I dropped down with the carcass over my shoulder; I dropped the corpse and walked over to where Stark was.

He was crouching over the lynx, the eyes wide with death. The arrow was lodged in the lynx's chest area. "Good job rookie, first hunt and you got your first kill!"

"Thanks but I'm really surprised," his bangs covered his eyes while his head hang down; concealing his face so I wouldn't see his emotions. "I've never used any weapon and yet the arrow that I shot is planted right where I envisioned it to hit on the lynx, in its heart."

He lifted his head finally and I could see the fear underlying in his eyes. I dropped to my knees and hugged him. "It's going to be okay. We all have special powers and this just might be yours, to never miss your mark. Mine is for the elements, I'll show you after we're done eating."

"Eating?" the fear was gone now and replaced with confusion.

"Yeah what did you think we were going to do with the dead animals?" I gestured to the corpses. "You know we have to drink blood to survive right?"

"Yes I know that just I've never drank from an animal before," he pulled the arrow out of the lynx and stared at the blood on it before bringing the bloodied head to his lips and licking the liquid. "Oh well I'm thirsty and I'm up for learning new things. Let's feed."

I dragged the mountain lion closer to Stark and the lynx. "Watch and then try to copy what I do. You'll want to get the jugular of the animal because that's one of the main veins in a body, puncture the jugular in an animal of person that's living; they'll die from blood loss in less than five minutes. It'll give you the best access to blood, cheers Brother."

I bent down to the neck of the mountain lion, my eyes studying Stark and he curiously watched me feed and my mouth open revealing the fangs there. I buried my mouth into the scruff of the animals neck until my teeth reached the skin, my pointed canines sank in hitting the jugular and letting the blood flow into my mouth.

I drank greedily, the delicious hot blood energizing my body and sating my aching thirst. I closed my eyes and moaned at the taste, animal blood was the only blood I've ever known, and having never drunk the blood of a person meant that it wouldn't ever appeal to me unless I drank some. The carcass was dry in a minute; I threw the body down and observed Stark as he sucked the lynx's blood ravenously too. He shuttered and pulled away from the now bone dry body, his lips were stained with scarlet red and his breath was coming out in huffs.

Thankfully he hadn't gotten any blood on his clothes so all we needed to do was wash up in the river that wasn't far away from where we were. "Come on let's go clean up in the stream over there."

I pointed in the direction of the stream and started for the trees, once I got there though, my body was pressed against a tree, my chest pushed against the bark and my hands being held above my head by two lager hands. He had me pinned from behind and there was nothing I could do. His breath puffed against my neck and tickled the sensitive skin there, his tongue flicked along my neck and he groaned.

"S-S-S-Stark," I stuttered but his body only restrained me more against the tree. His lips pressed to my jugular and they part until his teeth brushed the skin. His teeth broke the flesh as his fangs sunk in, my eyes widened in utter shock as he slurped my blood.

His pressed his body more into me and I felt something happen between us, the immense desire swept away the shock and pain. I moaned and just let myself go, I'd never felt this way before because there was nobody to make me feel this way but now that Stark was here… I feel into the abyss of pleasure and love that he was making me feel, we felt together.

The withdrawal of his fangs had me sighing in frustration; he licked his bite marks on my neck then kissed the wound. "I'm so sorry."

We were still pinned to the tree, his hands slipped from mine above my head and the rest of his body slid along with them until he was on his knees in front of me. I turned around and sat in front of him, he stared into my eyes and into my soul. I gladly bared it for him.

"Why?" I said and he flinched as though I slapped him instead.

"Because I couldn't control my thirst and –" he started but I cut him off.

"Why are you sorry?" I asked, startling him again. "Do you regret drinking my blood?"

"I'm sorry because I did that without permission and no I don't regret it," he reached his hand out to touch me but pulled back as if he thought I was going to scuttle away from him. I took his wrist and brought his hand to my face, leaning my cheek into the palm. "Your blood was luscious, as soon as it hit my tongue it exploded in my mouth. It was like drowning in a sea of passion and pleasure, I never wanted to stop but I knew I had to or I would kill you."

"You can't kill me!" I giggled but stopped when I saw the seriousness in his eyes. "Um never mind I think you might be able to but I know that you won't."

"You don't know that," his eyes darkened and his touch turned hard, my fangs shot out from my gums and I could see all the veins in his neck including the large main artery. I pounce on him, making him fall backward onto his back and taking me with him.

I pinned him against the ground, my hands holding his own above his head and I sat on his abdomen with my face just inches from his. "I do because of what just happened. Something happened, I can't explain it right now but I know that it was a wondrous thing that will amount to something great in the future."

His eyes expanded for the umpteenth time today but I didn't pay much attention (for once) to his face, my soul intent was on his neck. I licked his neck, running my tongue along his jugular that was just beneath his flawless skin. I opened my mouth and struck, my fangs sinking into the soft flesh easily. When the first drop of his blood hit my tongue it was like fireworks in my mouth, going crazy with passion and desire. I drank from him in such gluttony that it should have killed me.

I retreated after a few gulps and breathed heavily into his collar, gosh I wanted – I needed him so badly it hurt. He pushed me back until I was sitting on his legs and he was able to sit up too, his bullion orbs swimming with so many emotions – love, lust, happiness, amazement, understanding and so much more.

His hands reached up to my face, his forehead against mine, I knew what was going to happen next. When his lips brushed my own I jumped like I had been shocked, but I _had_ been shocked, the jolt that coursed through my lips when his had touched mine. He chuckled and pulled back slightly, searching my eyes for authorization.

When I didn't give him that permission he pulled back even more but I took his face into my hands and forced his lips to mine. For a second he didn't respond to the kiss, maybe from surprise, but then he wrapped his arms around me and kissed me passionately. It was final, we were soul mates.

We parted for air and leaned our heads against each other's, my hands were all tangled in his hair and his arms were around my waist. "You know we should really clean up because we're covered in blood."

"Of all the things you could say…" he pushed me off of his lap and shook his head.

"Hey! Well sorry if I want to be clean and not look like we were rolling around in the mud in front of our parents!" I stuck my tongue out at his turned back and stood grabbing our weapons and walking toward the ravine.

"Wait up!" he fumbled to get up and caught up with me in less than a few minutes. "You're so bothersome and annoying."

"Then why'd ya kiss me?" I looked at him out of the corner of my eye, gauging his expression.

"Because you're beautiful, smart, graceful, and dangerous," he leaned down to my ear but we kept walking. "I like danger, and on you it's very sexy."

I skidded to a stop but he kept on walking and whistling while I stood there like an idiot gaping at him. I stumbled to keep up with him and once I was at his side he draped his arms around my shoulders and kissed my head.

"I love you Zoey, my sister," he mumbled into my hair. My heart leapt into my throat, those six words filled me with so many emotions that it made me dizzy but I didn't care, I was extremely happy.

"I love you too, my brother," I nuzzled into his side while his hands tightened around me, making me feel so loved. "My Stark."

**A/N:**

**Hey people so this is about Zoey meeting Stark and they're struggle to show their emotions to one another! Gah even I'm gushing over the uber cuteness of the chapter and I wrote it! Gosh I'm such a selfish little bum!**

**ZOMG! Okay so guess what? EXAMS ARE OVER! FREEDOM, I AM A FREE WOMAN FOR THE SUMMER! Well aside from the 29****th**** when I have to go back to my school to pick up my report card and exam results. **

**So this chapter will explain some to the conversations in chapter 23 of Butterfly Effect. Also I need more reviews! SERIOUSLY YOUR REVIEWS MAKE ME HAPPY! THEY'RE MY WRITING WEED! Meaning that your reviews will keep me through the tough times and such. **

**About how Zoey, Stark, Eris and the rest of Nyx's children age. Every 50 years they gain 1 human year, so Zoey is technically 700 years old but only looks like a 14 year old. Stark was born about 50 years after Zoey (meaning she would look about a year old) which isn't usual for Nyx and Erebus. Nyx usually gives birth to a child every few hundred years or when she wants to, not half a century after a different child was born. If you're confused PM me and I'll try to explain.**

**R&R PRETTY PLEASE! **

**Thanks Shawna~~~~**


	3. Chapter 2: Children of Life

**Disclaimer: I don't own DP or HON**

Chapter Two: Children of Life

_**2000 years later**_

Zoey's POV:

The sun poured through the window, I think Stark left it open last night to let the cool nights breeze into the room. I squinted into the bright light, burning my eyes with great pleasure, and once my eyes adjusted I felt for Stark next to me. To find he wasn't there.

I sat up and looked beside me, the bed was cold but I was sure he'd been there the night before. I tried to remember, since Stark and I got a bit too hammered at my birthday party last night, then I felt the familiar throb of a hangover pulse against my skull. I attempted to ignore the pain and recall what happened last night, apparently I didn't really need to remember because one look at my body and I knew what happened. Sighing I got out of my bed and walked over to the floor length mirror to assess the damage done.

After a quick once over, and seeing no immediate "injuries" (meaning as if Stark's grip was just a little too hard and it left a bruise) then I did a deeper investigation. Two hickey's were starting to appear on my neck, three bite marks, and a hand like bruise forming on my left arm probably from when Stark had applied just a bit too much pressure. It could've been a lot worse but as far as damages go this had to be one of the better times, Stark was rather rough in bed and I didn't really care, I liked it. A lot.

I scanned my nude body once more and decided it was time to get ready for the day. I turned to take a step, apparently too quickly, and my world swayed fiercely. That never happened when I had a hangover, I might be a bit drowsy, grumpy, have a headache and my senses may be a bit fried but I was never nauseas. I groaned – this dizziness wasn't from the hangover, it was from something completely different.

About a thousand years ago my body started changing again; I'd once thought that I was finally done growing – finally a youthful immortal but my joy of such a thing was short lived. At first it was only a slight prickle that ran through my body ever few months, I'd shake it off and told myself it was predatory instinct that was nagging at my body and mind to hunt. It slowly progressed into an annoying pain that came along very often but the dizzy spells and nausea came every few months.

It felt as though something or someone was trying to claw its way out of my body.

My vision was still fuzzy and I realized that I was on the floor when the door slammed open and I scarcely heard Stark yelling for me. His words a jumbled mess through the blood pounding in my ear and he picked me up which was a very wrong move. My stomach lurched and I struggled to get away from his arms, he let go of me and stuck my head over the sink in our bathroom just as I began to puke my guts out.

"After a nearly 1500 years of trying for a baby this better be morning sickness," his hands tugged through my hair and hold it out of the way, and I began spewing last night's dinner into the sink. "Or it another one of those damned seizures that have plagued you for so long."

"The latter is correct," I heaved, my throat was sandpapery but not from a thirst for blood for once, it's a known fact that vomiting dehydrates a person. Even if we are immortal and Gods we can still get drunk, have hangovers and get ill but we don't get sick like humans do. It's a wee bit harder for Stark and I to become drunk but we find our ways and when we do get wasted, apparently we're hilarious – that's what Hypnos and Nemesis say at least. To get drunk we have alcoholic nectar. And blood for Stark and I.

A growl slipped through Stark's teeth, he hated seeing me like this. Bent over the sink vomiting nonstop, my olive skin paler than usual, bloodshot and puffy eyes, hair lank and greasy when I didn't have the energy to get up and wash it. And there was nothing he could do about it.

Mother and Father didn't know what was wrong with me, no one knew what was wrong but Stark kept trying to find answers, kept trying to help me, to cure me. But after a thousand years of unsuccessful searching and digging up more questions than answers he was growing weary and fearing that I would never get better.

I turned on the cold water and splashed some on my face and into my mouth. Then slipped out of his grip and walked into the bedroom to get dressed. My stomach still hurt and I was still too dizzy but I wasn't going to tell him that, I felt a little better at least.

"Zoey," his tone was wary, like he wanted to push but he knew if he did that I would be mad and not speak to him. So all he did was warn me, and didn't push because he also knew that it wouldn't make my situation any better.

"I'm fine alright, just had to get it out," I said, not meeting his gaze knowing that if I did that I would break and tell him everything. "Look its probably just the hangover aftermath. You know, throwing up to get rid of the toxins in your system."

He nodded totally not believing my lie but not wanting to say otherwise. Stark had very few fears but his biggest fear was about me, me not getting better, me not being able to handle the pain and fading away, about me not being there with him, not being able to love him. These qualms of his reflected my own about him.

As I got dressed he stood outside the doorway, giving me my privacy but close enough to help me in case something happened. I wore a lilac flowing gown that was comfy enough when I felt so shitty. I looked at myself in the mirror again, this time I didn't pay any attention to my "injuries" instead I saw how pale I was, dark half-moons were underneath my usually bright eyes that were now dull and tired. My knee length wavy hair was lanky now and looked drain of it colour and lustre. I groaned.

"Great I might as well look like Medusa," I muttered grouchily and heard a snicker from the door.

"Now if you looked like Medusa then why haven't I turned to stone yet?" Stark held out his hand for me to take.

As we strode down the hallways I nodded to all those who bowed to Stark and I, everyone we passed did. It's not a forced gesture, their just showing their respect for us. We don't exactly need our servants and advisors to worship us but we're flattered by their loyalty. In fact I'm proud to say that some of the servants like to disrespect me, at least the ones I'm friends with.

For example, Galatea, Deneve, Seferino, Xan, and Azalea weren't bowing; they were my friends so they didn't see the need to bow to a friend. It was just weird in our books, why bow to a good friend but when push came to shove they would follow my orders. In my very long life I came close to most of the female servants, only a few that distance their selves in jealousy or they just didn't want to be my friend. Then there were some that used me to get to Stark but other than that I view the females as sisters. Galatea, Deneve, and Azalea were some of the girls I was closest to, but it was Xanand Seferino that knew me best other than Stark and my family of course.

Actually it was Xanand Seferino who initially disliked Stark because they had crushes on me, but they warmed up to him and their now friends too. I had very few males friends, learning quickly that most just wanted to impress me or hurt Stark when he saw said servant boy and I talking. Said servant boy flirting and me wanting to get rid of him. A lot of the servant boys deem me as the greatest catch here and try their damned hardest to earn my affection but it is only Stark who could ever affect me that way.

Deneve waved us over. "Good morning Prince and Princess!" she chirped, Deneve was Seferino's older sister and the most cheery of the servants. She always is the one to brighten my mood and that's why I love her.

They had pointed ears, both had straight silvery hair, and they both shared the same lavender eyes. The only real distinguishing differences between them was that Deneve was shorter, more feminine and had boobs. Seferino looks older because he's about 5'1" and Deneve is 4'10" but when people learn that Deneve is older then they assume that the siblings are twins. But in truth, Deneve is eight years older than Seferino.

Stark chuckled. "Good morning Deneve."

I nodded a greeting to her, lost in my thoughts. Stark conversed with our friends while I stayed quiet, leaning on his arm jadedly. I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I hadn't heard Azalea speaking to me.

"Zoey," her cold hand came to my shoulder and broke my train of thought. "Is something wrong?"

"No nothing's the matter," I told them all but I could tell from their expressions that they didn't believe my lie. "Let's get something to eat I'm famished."

"Now we're talking," Solon rubbed his hands together and began dragging Galatea along with him. Galatea and Xanwere together; after Xangot over his crush on me he noticed the shining Galatea. He was quite quick to move on, Seferino not so much; sometimes I still saw him staring at me longingly.

Xanhad dark hair and silver eyes, he looked human but those eyes said otherwise. Xan, Seferino and Stark all had the appetite of cows. Galatea had pale blonde hair, rufous coloured eyes and a tall, lean frame. Very gorgeous, inside and out and she had a heart of gold. But there was always sadness echoed in her eyes, like there was something that happened to her that took a great toll on her.

Lastly there was the lone wolf of our little pack, Azalea. Azalea was quiet but when she spoke I knew why she was the greatest catch in the palace next to me, her voice was so beautiful that it almost made me cry. To men who aren't in love with another her voice is alluring enough for them to fall to her feet, to those who are in love her voice is just musical. To top it off she was stunning too; her orange topaz eyes glow against the contrast of her dark brown hair.

We all looked human, well other than Seferino and Deneve's pointed ears and the marks that are fused to my body and Stark's. Human but our unusual eyes said otherwise. We weren't human but we didn't know what we were either.

I crashed into a breathing wall and looked up into silver.

"Something's wrong Zoey," Xan's voice was hushed but icy. "I know Stark won't tell us because you wouldn't want him to so he won't. Therefore I'll have to pry it out of you."

"No Xan," Stark's hand went to Xan's shoulder and kind of pushed him away from me. "Zoey's just feeling under the weather, there's no need to make it any worse. For now she needs to eat, rest, and to not be under a lot of stress."

"That might be a bit hard since Zoey's the queen of stress," Galatea pulled me along away from the boys; out of the three girls I was closest to her. Deneve can be too jolly at times and Azalea can be a bit too cool; Galatea was one who would listen to what I told her and wouldn't pry too much but she would pry. A peaceful, gracious and respectful friend.

"Would you like me to make you some tea?" Deneve's childish voice rang. "I just got some really sweet and calming herbs, I could put them into a relaxing lavender tea."

"I would like that thank you," ah hell I sounded like a choking peacock!

"Maybe some water before that tea," Seferino opened the door to the dining hall. My family liked to eat with our servants, just so long as no one created trouble the servants liked eating with us too.

My parents sat at in the middle of the dining hall, they were flanked by my brothers and sisters. Nemesis was Mother's right hand and that's where she sat, Stark usually sat next to Father and I next to Stark. Sometimes Stark and I didn't eat with our parents, Eris and Hecate would take our places, it was nothing personal but sometimes the little green monster would pop up and make me want to kick them out of our seats. The seats next to Father were Stark's and my own, whether they were vacated by us or not. In my mind Eris and Hecate had no rights to those seats; it wasn't our faults that Father chose for Stark to be his right hand.

Eris and Hecate might as well be twins, always out to create mischief and strife. Hecate was my new sister, born about 900 years ago she only looked 18 so I was older than her and she should respect her older sister and brother. Eris, on the other hand, was constantly being told to stop being so impudent and insane. So I think they both needed to be taught a lesson to not mess with me.

Dominance and jealousy were always churning in my head, I hated to be envious of my siblings but I was still just a child in their eyes. I hated that too, to be treated like such a baby, they always said that I was special but they were just baiting me like a fool. Stark and Hecate were behaved towards like they were older than me!

I growled; Hecate and Eris were keeping our seats warm for us right now, the damn bastards! Couldn't wait for us to even forfeit from dining with our family before stealing our seats. The nerve they had, it made me so angry sometimes.

"Zoey?" Mother called me. "What's wrong Zoeybird?"

Mother's pet name for me, she always told me that I was like a bird, fluttering around and chirping all the time. Like a little bird. A weak little bird.

Red clouded my vision, the swirling scents of everyone in the room was too intoxicating, scarily overwhelming. My eyes stung, my breathing was much laboured because with every breath it just pushed me closer to my breaking point, closer to slaughtering people heartlessly. My heart galloped, pounding the blood through my veins. I kept my head low; it hurt to keep it up anyways.

What's happening to me! What is this, make it stop! I'm begging for somebody to make it stop! Why was something to insignificant and foolish making me like this?

"Kill me," the room was silent but I had barely uttered the words, I was sure that no one had heard me. Not even Stark who was standing next to me.

I met Mother's eyes, and she gasped. What was wrong with my face? The look on her face, the fear in her eyes. The fear of me, no I didn't want that! I wanted respect and to be treated my true age, not fear.

_Get out now before it's too late._

What? That's wasn't my inner voice, this voice was different. My inner voice sounded more like a combination of Mother's and Nemesis's voice, this voice was like grass whispering against each other.

_It doesn't matter just get out!_ This tone was different too, like the current of a stream.

"Zoey! Answer Father!" Hecate snapped at me, I hadn't heard what Father had said, I hadn't noticed what anybody had said or done.

"Bastards," I muttered, this time I was heard. "Make yourselves look like perfect angels and regard me like a bumbling infant. Burn in hell!"

Gasps were heard but I couldn't think, I couldn't see anything but scarlet, taste anything but blood, smell anything but the cologne of blood, and couldn't hear anything but the life force pumping through the veins of the people around me.

_Damn it! Just run away before you kill everyone here! _The crackle of embers, what were these voices in my head?

My skull throbbed; my stomach heaved threatening to spew up my guts again. This anguish was too much!

_Then listen to us and leave. _A breezy sigh floated through the pain, this was even more unusual than the others, it was male. _Once you've left you'll be able to know why we've put you through this, we can make it stop. All you have to do is run. _

No, I can't Eris and Hecate needed to be taught a lesson. They all did, I needed to make sure that they knew I was a mature adult. I wasn't a child!

_GET OUT NOW!_

I ran.

And ran and ran. Away from my parents, siblings, and my friends. Away from my brother and my Consort.

After 2000 years of him being at my side, I ran away from his. I always knew that he would follow me but would he this time? He allowed my lies but he'd underestimated my condition. How would Stark live if I was dead?

As I ran the bloody red darkened into the bleakest black I've ever seen.

The agony kept gushing through my body. The voices lied, the pain only got worse. It got so bad that I couldn't take it anymore and tripped.

I tried to move, I couldn't, the fire burned when I moved. So I curled into a ball in the grass and shrieked.

Screamed out until I was sure I lost my voice. Cried until I thought I cried myself dry.

With great effort I pulled myself up to my knees, but I kept hunched over, my head in my hands. My nails dug into my temple, pain to take away torture.

"MAKE IT STOP!" I screeched with the last of my being.

This was it. I was going to die.

* * *

><p>White lights floating in the black. How pretty, is this what it's like to fade away? It isn't so bad; I don't know why we fear fading away the most. It felt so wonderful.<p>

_I_ felt so delightful. The pain was a distant memory. All the bad emotions were hazy reminiscences too.

Stark.

I'm so sorry my love, but I know we'll be together again someday. I love you, don't ever forget that.

"She'll be rousing soon," a male said. Air. "Mother will be so surprised to see us all."

"Hopefully Mother can forgive us for making her go through so much discomfort and hell," a female this time. Fire.

Who were these people? They sounded familiar.

"I wonder if her eyes are like ours," a new woman giggled. Water. "They'll be so pretty!"

"Shhh she's waking," a different girl chimed, sounding like the whispering of grass. Earth!

My eyes snapped open. Air, fire, water, earth and spirit. The five elements that lived within me. But they weren't anymore.

Four naked bodies surrounded me; my head was in the lap of one of the three girls.

They smiled. Their voices were the ones in my head but they'd taken human forms. The three girls all had waist length hair and the boy's straight hair fell past his shoulders to at least the middle of his back. They all looked to be in their early twenties.

"We're sorry for creating so much pain for you," the man smirked apologetically. They were all full grown and naked. And they all had similar markings to my own!

"You were the voices inside my head and you made me feel all those awful things for the past thousand years!" my voice rose an octave. "Why?"

They shifted to give me breathing room, but I felt like hyperventilating and completely breaking down. I couldn't believe this, its unreal!

"Well what do you expect when you have four people growing inside your head then those people not having a way out but to put you through immense torture then finally jump from your head?" the dark haired girl had a bit of an attitude. "You couldn't handle the true power of the elements, well you could but it would eventually be too much for you, so that's what we are."

"Born from the Goddess of Life and the Elements, through parthenogenesis without even the Goddess herself knowing," the curly blonde told me. "We are known as the four elements, you representing the fifth, I was born first. I am the personification of earth."

She had wheat blonde ringlets streaked with green and had leaves entwined in the curls, pale skin and almost glowing jade eyes. She had a cute smile, a smattering of freckles dotted her nose, and she smelt like sweet grass. Her mark was the same colour of her eyes and looked like bell flowers starting at the crescent on her forehead, running along her arms, back and chest. And that's where it stopped, but her fingers looked like roots and some of her body was cover by bark. Her hair was attached to the ground; the earth was connected to her. A tree like humanoid.

"After her I sprung from you," another blonde giggled. "I symbolize the element water."

This one looked like a fish-humanoid. She had blonde hair but it had a blue tint to it and had turquoise highlights, and a starfish on the side of her head. She had fish fins for ears, her hands and feet were webbed and her limbs were covered in fish scales. Her eyes were shimmering jewels of aquamarine, her mark, like her sisters, was the same colour. From the crescent it looked like water streaming down her face, arms, and chest and back, also she looked like she was permanently crying. The fragrance coming off her reminded me of the salty ocean.

"And after my twin I came along," a rich voice purred. "I'm as hot as fire, my element."

I had to laugh; this one was spice, much like the fish girl but she was more sugar, I see why they call themselves twins. Though complete opposites physically, mentally they are so similar, polar opposite twins. Sugar and spice, and everything nice.

Unlike the other two she had darker skin, glowing mocha instead of Caucasian. Her glossy dark waves were streaked with fiery red, and her hands and legs were on fire! Her eyes gleamed rubies, her mark resembled fire scorching her skin but it wasn't truly, that was the pattern of her tattoos. Her perfume was the sweet woodsy smell of burning timber.

"Finally I was born," the man sighed, airy and cool. "I embody air, we're all the personified elements, of course you still hold the elements and you can control them but now you have us to help you."

The only boy was Caucasian too but he was the palest, he almost looked transparent. His long straight brown hair streaked with grey swayed in the breeze that was always around him, his scent didn't really smell like anything just a crisp and rejuvenating. His eyes were similar to grey diamonds, his tattoos were swirly, and they stopped at his chest which you could see just a glimpse of his toned abs but other than that he had a lanky build. Then I knew why he looked so white, his element was air, he could blend in with the wind which had no form or shape he literally could go invisible.

"But there's only four of you," I said. "Where's the manifestation of spirit?"

"You," the tee girl reasoned. "You still have all the elements at your command and control but your dominant element is and always will be spirit."

"Come we'll show you what we mean," fish girl helped fire girl up, then fire girl spoke as if finishing her sister's sentence. "You've changed too you know."

I hadn't realized where I was before releasing the elements from me, after all that running I'd stumbled into the Sacred Grove. The Grove was one of the purest places in Mother's realm, created by Mother herself.

"Mother?" invisible boy called out. Did he just call me Mother?

"Um I'm not you mother," I held my hands in defence. "Look I know that technically you are my children but I don't want to be called your mother, rather I want to be equal with you all. Like a sister."

"Alright but then who is to take care of us?" tree girl had a point. They all looked frightened now, like I was going to throw them aside now that they weren't a part of me anymore.

"Don't worry, I'll still take care of you but I want you to call my parents by Mother and Father. Besides I don't think Stark would like that I had children without him, he'd be mad about it and eventually get over it but I still think it's best if we were all known as brothers and sisters."

"Ah we see," the Twins giggled. "Don't want no illegitimate kids huh?"

My face heated. "N-no it's nothing like that but –"

They all laughed and then invisible boy reassured me. "It's okay we comprehend why you don't want us to call you Mother so we'll procure your compromise."

"What?" the Twins faces were question marks.

"We're all good with calling our mother sister instead," tree girl explained but I think she only made it more confusing to them.

"Do you have names?" I asked. "Because I can't keep calling you tree girl, fish girl, fire girl, and invisible boy."

Fish girl and tree girl didn't necessarily like the names that I'd given them but they told me that they didn't have names; they were waiting for me to name them. So I did.

"Invisible boy will now be known as Ouranos, God of Air, fish girl as Tethys, Goddess of Water, fire girl as Theia, Goddess of Fire, and lastly tree girl as Rhea, Goddess of Earth."

"I like it!" Tethys squealed. "Tethys, Queen of the Sea! Goddess of Water and all those who defy her will drown at her feet!"

"Ha-ha it's more like Theia, Queen of Fire, and any who challenge her are burnt to a crisp!" Theia and Tethys then got in a squabble about who trumps who, they were starting to hurl their elements at each other when a voice yelled through the vegetation.

A very familiar male voice followed by even more familiar auras. Stark, Mother, Father, Nemesis, Thanatos, Hypnos, Charon and a few other servants were coming after me.

"Damn it this isn't good! They're gonna come here and find you all naked and then they're gonna be all thinking you guys abducted me and then they're gonna try to kill you! And, and –"

"Calm down!" Rhea shook me. "Look Zoey, you can just run ahead and stop them before they get here and explain the situation to them. Then when they meet us they won't kill us."

"Other than the fact that we're naked," Ouranos stated, he'd been quiet since given his name. "And that, considering I'm a nude man, might pose a bit of a threat to Stark and Father and any other protective male figures in Zoey's life."

"Oh well, I'll see what I can do," then I took off towards my parents and siblings. I could hear Rhea and Ouranos calling me back, something about my eyes but I didn't really hear so I might have been mistaken.

All I could hear was the wind whipping past me, the feel of heat underneath my bare feet, the taste of the water from the creek beside me, hell I could even smell the earth as I ran. Four senses to four elements. But where was the fifth?

Then I saw my arm. I skidded to a stop, my knees coiling and locking at the sudden momentum of my stop. The earth flew up and sprayed me, as I spat out some dirt I grasped that I just made helluva lot of noise. I might as well have been a three hundred pound beast rampaging through the forest.

I dropped in front of the creek, looking at my reflection and just thinking that what I saw was totally spectacular. My body was surrounded by an aura, a violet aura. The fifth element, spirit.

My eyes… they weren't the warm hazel that I was so used to. That's why Ouranos and Rhea were calling me back, so I wouldn't scare my parents and siblings with my eyes. So I wouldn't be frightened by my eyes. Because they weren't the inviting mixture of brown-green, they were radiant amethyst purple.

I was spirit, I was life. I knew who I am, but who was I to be? I had no idea right now but I would. Right now I had to focus on the present.

A rustle had me on my feet in an instant, feeling for my bow or any weapon that may be attached to my gear. It wasn't there damn it! I'd forgotten that I hadn't taken any weapons with me.

A man stepped out of the bushes, his handsome face creased with worry and shock. His long chestnut hair swayed a single braid at the right side of his head. He didn't wear a shirt, showing off the unique bronze marks that were on his body. There was another reason that he wasn't wearing a shirt, it was rather difficult and uncomfortable for him to wear a shirt when huge gilded wings sprouted from his back. His bullion eyes wide with amazement and alarm.

Stark stumbled toward me, his arms outstretched like he didn't know why I wasn't encased in them. I lunged at him and squeezed, crying out in relief and joy.

"Don't do that ever again!" he breathed heavily. "Damn it Z, do you know how much you scared me!"

"I won't I'm sorry. But I'm hungry too."

He rolled his eyes but lifted his chin to give me better access. I buried my face in his neck; breathing in his scent and making him shudder. I sunk my fangs in and drank only a little but enough to sedate my thirst for now. Through it all Stark was struggling not to be overcome by the pleasure and not to take me right here. I always had more self control than him so it was kinda funny to watch.

"You know you really should work on your restraint," my gaze straying from his face, going south to where the real prize was. His cheeks coloured and he kept his eyes averted, anywhere but me.

I laughed, he snickered and yelled behind him saying that he'd found me. Mother and Father were the first to find us and quickly enfolded me in a suffocating hug. One by one my siblings and friends made their way to the place where we were. All disregarding my new appearance and hugging me and just were glad that I was safe.

"Zoey don't ever do that again," Nemesis pressed her lips into my hair then held me at arm's length. "I'm sure we're all curious to your transformation so if you would mind…"

"Of course not but there's a lot more than just my new look," I threw my arms up and posed for them as Eris and Hecate entered the small clearing. They glared at me. That's just lovely. "A lot has happened and I can explain it all."

"Really? In a mere matter of less than two hours?" Eris sneered; Hecate rolled her aureate eyes and warped her beautiful face into a look of disgust. Well she looked beautiful when her face was disfigured with covetousness.

I ignored her but looked at Mother before I began recalling the events that occurred. She met my shimmering eyes and I knew. I knew that she had a vague idea of what had been wrong with me, why I was sick, and what it was leading up to. But she'd kept her mouth shut because if she hadn't things wouldn't have turned out the way they had. Her abyssal orbs pleaded with my own to forgive her for not telling me but there was nothing to forgive her for. She'd done the right thing.

We exchanged smiles. I blew out a breath before I launched into my story. "There's something I need to tell you all."

**A/N:**

**OMG THIS IS UBER UBER LATE AND IM SOOOOOOO SORRY!**

**Hey guys I'm back and very sorry about being so busy. I had a bit of writers block but I've been re-inspired and will get the chapters up ASAP!**

**So you got introduced to some of Zoey and Stark's friends who have some really unique names. Here's how you pronounce those names and what they mean. **

**Galatea – (gal-ah-TEE-ah) it is of Greek origin and the meaning of Galatea is "white as milk"**

**Azalea – (a-ZAYL-yah) it is of Greek origin and the meaning of Azalea is "dry". **

**Deneve – (pronounced "deneva") meaning "of snow," in Latin, Italian and Spanish.**

**Seferino – (se-feri-no) is of Spanish and Greek origin, and the meaning of Seferino is "west wind".**

**Xan – (zan) is a variant of Sander (German, Greek) and Xander (Greek), and the meaning of Xan is "man's defender".**

**So please review and I'll try to have the next chapter up soon!**

**Thanks a bunch Shawna~~~**


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